721.2e If a merged permanent contains face-up and face-down components, the permanent’s status is determined by its topmost component. If a face-down permanent becomes a face-up permanent as a result of an object merging with it, other effects don’t count it as being turned face up.
721.2f If a merged permanent is turned face down, each face-up component that represents it is turned face down. If a face-down merged permanent is turned face up, each face-down component that represents it is turned face up.
721.2g A face-down merged permanent that contains an instant or sorcery card can’t be turned face up. If such a permanent would turn face up, its controller reveals it and leaves it face down. Abilities that trigger when a permanent is turned face up won’t trigger.
721.2e means, that if you mutate the card on top of the pile, it is already face up and thus cannot be turned face up any more. If it is mutated under the pile, if the top card of that pile is face down, the permanent is face down and can be turned face up using morph and other abilities to do so.
Furthermore, 721.2f means, that if somehow the pile contains multiple face down cards, and the top card is one of them, you can turn all of them face up by using any one morph ability of the cards therein (even of currently face up cards). Likewise, if the top card is a manifested creature card, you can end the manifest effect by paying the top card's mana cost and turn all cards within the pile face up.
(The rules for merged permanents are 721. Merging with Permanents , and for mutate are 702.139. Mutate)
If you mutate onto a face-down creature, and choose to put the new component on top, the resulting permanent is considered face-up because the top component is face-up. The other component is face-down. Also, this isn't considered to be an event of that permanent "being turned face-up"; it simply became face-up.(721.2e)
If you would turn that permanent face-up, you turn all the face-down components face-up. If you would turn that permanent face-down, you turn all the face-up components face-down.(721.2f)
Now, on the basis that this rule about morph (below) refers to having the morph ability, and it is not strictly true that a face-down creature has any ability, I would infer that , for mutated creatures specifically, you can pay the morph cost of any component to turn the permanent face-up - provided that the permanent is currently face-down:
702.36e Any time you have priority, you may turn a face-down permanent you control with a morph ability face up. This is a special action; it doesn’t use the stack (see rule 116). To do this, show all players what the permanent’s morph cost would be if it were face up, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. (If the permanent wouldn’t have a morph cost if it were face up, it can’t be turned face up this way.) The morph effect on it ends, and it regains its normal characteristics. Any abilities relating to the permanent entering the battlefield don’t trigger when it’s turned face up and don’t have any effect, because the permanent has already entered the battlefield.
Mutate gives the merged permanent all the components' abilities, so the morph ability that any of its face-down components has should enable the use of this special action. Do keep in mind that you can only morph something face-up if it is currently face-down.
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And am I correct in thinking that in the case of Gift of Doom, if it is on top of a mutated creature, any mutated creature beneath it has its abilities nullified when the card is turned face up, since the permanent is no longer a creature?
And am I correct in thinking that in the case of Gift of Doom, if it is on top of a mutated creature, any mutated creature beneath it has its abilities nullified when the card is turned face up, since the permanent is no longer a creature?
And am I correct in thinking that in the case of Gift of Doom, if it is on top of a mutated creature, any mutated creature beneath it has its abilities nullified when the card is turned face up, since the permanent is no longer a creature?
It still has those abilities, but they may no longer have any effect. For example flying on a non-creature permanent doesn't do anything, but it still has that ability. But if you were to somehow get Scavenging Ooze under Gift of Doom and then morph it the result would still have the ability to exile a card from a GY for G and even get counters even though it doesn't have p/t to modify.
It still has those abilities, but they may no longer have any effect. For example flying on a non-creature permanent doesn't do anything, but it still has that ability. But if you were to somehow get Scavenging Ooze under Gift of Doom and then morph it the result would still have the ability to exile a card from a GY for G and even get counters even though it doesn't have p/t to modify.
So in other words Keyword abilities still apply to the permanent but have no use on a noncreature permanent, but activated and triggered abilities can still be used just the same?
wether keyword abilities are useful or not depends on the ability. For example, equip would function while on an aura or equipment, and persist/undying will bring back the pile (as individual cards) with the appropriate counter just fine. Those are activated and triggered abilities respectively, but something like devoid will also still apply. But things like flying that need the permanent to be a creature won't do anything.
Can the morphed card still be turned face up no matter what, or only if it is on the top of the mutated creatures?
If the card is turned face up after being mutated, will it still retain all abilities of the other creature(s)?
I had to go into the Ikoria release notes to find it but here is the link to that where it's noted https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/ikoria-lair-behemoths-and-commander-2020-edition-release-notes-2020-04-10
Yes if you turn it face up it will have all the abilities of the face up cards below it.
721.2e means, that if you mutate the card on top of the pile, it is already face up and thus cannot be turned face up any more. If it is mutated under the pile, if the top card of that pile is face down, the permanent is face down and can be turned face up using morph and other abilities to do so.
Furthermore, 721.2f means, that if somehow the pile contains multiple face down cards, and the top card is one of them, you can turn all of them face up by using any one morph ability of the cards therein (even of currently face up cards). Likewise, if the top card is a manifested creature card, you can end the manifest effect by paying the top card's mana cost and turn all cards within the pile face up.
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If you mutate onto a face-down creature, and choose to put the new component on top, the resulting permanent is considered face-up because the top component is face-up. The other component is face-down. Also, this isn't considered to be an event of that permanent "being turned face-up"; it simply became face-up.(721.2e)
If you would turn that permanent face-up, you turn all the face-down components face-up. If you would turn that permanent face-down, you turn all the face-up components face-down.(721.2f)
Now, on the basis that this rule about morph (below) refers to having the morph ability, and it is not strictly true that a face-down creature has any ability, I would infer that , for mutated creatures specifically, you can pay the morph cost of any component to turn the permanent face-up - provided that the permanent is currently face-down:
Mutate gives the merged permanent all the components' abilities, so the morph ability that any of its face-down components has should enable the use of this special action. Do keep in mind that you can only morph something face-up if it is currently face-down.
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It still has those abilities, but they may no longer have any effect. For example flying on a non-creature permanent doesn't do anything, but it still has that ability. But if you were to somehow get Scavenging Ooze under Gift of Doom and then morph it the result would still have the ability to exile a card from a GY for G and even get counters even though it doesn't have p/t to modify.
So in other words Keyword abilities still apply to the permanent but have no use on a noncreature permanent, but activated and triggered abilities can still be used just the same?
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)